


A New Wave

by ThicctorHugo



Category: 13 Reasons Why (TV)
Genre: Fluff, Justin deserves a family, the Jensens are the best omg, this is sweet
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-21
Updated: 2019-04-21
Packaged: 2020-01-23 11:06:27
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,528
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18548521
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ThicctorHugo/pseuds/ThicctorHugo
Summary: The Jensen’s go on a family day out, Justin realised how different his life is now and how happy he is that everything has changed





	A New Wave

Justin was becoming horrifically and tragically bored, so far all he’d done this holiday was annoy Clay and study. Most of his friends had gone away for the summer, unfortunately for him they had all chosen to go over the same few weeks. The only people left for him to hang with are Tony and Courtney and he isn’t particularly friends with either of them. He had Clay obviously but due to Clay’s unexpected friendship with Tony, Justin was left alone most of the time. Matt had noticed, having got the summer off to write some research project for his college department. 

It was a hot Tuesday morning, the family were having breakfast together, nobody seemed to have any particular plans as Lainie had been given a few days off. They talked about trivial things like Lainie’s most recent case and Matt’s research project. Clay complained about Tony’s new boyfriend hogging him and hence Clay was destined to be completely alone for the rest of the summer.   
‘I propose a family trip.’ Matt announced.   
‘Where to?’ Clay asked his father, Lainie looked at Matt smiling then said   
‘We should go to the beach’ Matt and Clay both smiled to each other, obviously excited.   
‘If we want to get there before noon we’ll have to get everything ready now. Matt and Clay you sort out the food and drinks and Justin and I will do everything else.’ She said, always the organiser. They all quickly cleaned the table and then Matt and Clay got to work on preparing the picnic. Lainie took Justin upstairs and told him to grab four towels and a blanket from the cupboards. Justin did as he was told as Lainie gathered the bags. 

After about an hour, everything was packed and Lainie instructed everyone to get their swimming consumes. As they assembled by the door Justin, in blue trunks and a t-shirt, was greeted by Matt in his black trunks and polo shirt, looking more casual than Justin had ever seen him. Clay’s green trunks and bright shirt made him look like an overgrown toddler, Justin had to restrain himself from making fun of Clay. Lainie looked completely different, her blonde hair was in a loose bun above her head. She was wearing a loose white shirt and soft patterned trousers. She looked more gentle than Justin was used to, her stern office look seemed to disappear. 

It reminded him strangely of his mother, when she was sober. He couldn’t remember much of her being completely sober but he has a few memories. He knew he’d never been to the beach but he vividly remembered a trip to the park where his mom was dressed similarly to Lainie, she pretended that they were on the beach and Justin was the king of the ocean. Justin felt a sudden anger that he’d lost that mother so young, that the woman he knew had died and been replaced by a shadow of what he should call mom. He looked at Lainie and remembered that despite that anger, he had been lucky enough to gain a real mother, one who would always be there for him, one who wouldn’t choose drugs over him, one that loved him. 

It had been difficult at first to accept that Lainie and Matt truly cared about him but their constant affection and attention had somehow won him over. He had been so insecure in the early months of the adoption but now he was able to understand that this was his family, he loved them and they loved him. 

The drive took about two and a half hours and Justin felt his legs fall asleep, he’d spent the whole journey looking out the window, he found it so interesting to compare his feelings about the different buildings now versus when he was homeless. When he was homeless he’d seen any abandoned building as a haven, somewhere out of the streets to sleep. He saw them as clean and safe, a place he could trust. Now looking at them, he saw how dirty and fragile the buildings were, he saw the broken windows as signs of destruction, not as an entry point. It baffled him how something as simple as a safe space had completely and utterly changed him. 

When he finally saw the sea, he was dumbfounded for a second. He didn’t realise how anything could be so vast, it went on for miles and miles, he couldn’t see an end to the blue. As they walked onto the sand, Justin felt the warmth of it on his feet, he felt the sand move as he walked on top of it. It was something so simple yet it gave him a feeling of joy so deep he was embarrassed to admit its extent. As Lainie and Matt chose the place to settle their towels, Justin looked to Clay who had already begun to unpack the bags. Justin knew that to Clay this was a regular occurrence, his understated excitement had proven that, he wondered if Clay knew how Justin was feeling, if he had noticed any of Justin’s enthusiasm. Justin settles his own towel down and Lainie decided it was time to have lunch, the boys were more than willing to agree. The family tucked in to the picnic Clay and Matt had prepared, Justin marvelled at how none of them managed to get any sand in their food. 

They ate quietly, all of them appreciating the background noise of the ocean, children playing and cars in the distance. Justin felt utterly serene, he had never experienced anything like this, he’d never been to a beach before and he’d never experienced a true vacation. His summers always consisted of fighting with his moms boyfriend, staying at Bryce’s and going to stupid summer parties and sure the parties were fun but he never felt this. Here he was just peaceful, calm yet so full of joy. 

After they had finished eating Matt proposed they all go for a swim, Justin grew slightly nervous at the prospect. He knew how to swim, he’s spent enough time in Bryce’s pool. He was just scared of what the ocean may bring. Not scared really but he didn’t know what to expect, how could he? As they all prepared to go swimming, he tried to politely decline the offer but Clay began teasing him. Matt decided to take Clay to the shore whilst Lainie stayed with Justin, she claimed she was tired but Justin knew she was lying to save him from embarrassment. 

As Matt and Clay walked away, Lainie sat next to Justin and said  
‘You’ve never been to the beach before have you?’   
Justin simply shook his head, he couldn’t look her in the eyes. He felt strangely ashamed at his inexperience, he knew it was a normal thing for families to do and he guessed it was just another thing to remind him of his childhood.   
‘You don’t need to be ashamed Justin. You know I was terrified of swimming in the ocean until I was 15.’ Lainie said, reading his body language perfectly. 

Justin looked up at her, he couldn’t imagine Lainie being scared of anything, she was strong and fierce. She had fought the courts many times and had stood up for cases she believed in, even being in the public eye for some of those cases. To him Lainie was the epitome of fearless.   
‘I was so scared that I would be eaten by a fish or something along those lines. I couldn’t even let the water touch my feet at the shore, I was scared shitless’ She chuckled and he joined in. He didn’t often hear Lainie swear and so every time she did it always made him laugh.   
‘How d’you get over it?’ He asked, still faintly chuckling.   
‘I got up one day and just decided I wasn’t scared anymore, frankly it wasn’t the best method but it worked like magic’ Justin listened to her and as she spoke, he was reminded of how her strength was something she had built up. 

At the start of the adoption Lainie had been careful to ensure Justin knew she was willing to fight for him and that she was willing to do this because she cared about him. Her strength inspired him, even now and so he said  
‘I guess I’m not scared anymore either.’ He stood up and Lainie stood up too, obviously excited. She pat him on the back and they walked over to the ocean. 

As he walked into the sea, he felt the cold water touch his toes and he felt the change in the level of sand as he became more deeply submerged in the water. As he fully submerged his head, he suddenly stood up, spraying Lainie and Clay with water and almost falling on Matt. He couldn’t help but laugh and the others joined in as they all engaged in a water fight. As they all swam around, trying to soak the others with as much water as possible, Justin felt he had truly found his home and at last he felt fearless.


End file.
